Oriskany ("O" Boat) update

[NitroxDvrFL]

Agreed not the people that sunk the Grove

I agree with that the Grove is a great dive but it would be better if it was sitting upright like the Duane

 

[Cave Diver]

CincyBengalsFan once bubbled...
It's 888 ft. long. It's in Texas right now getting final preparations.

Yup, it's sitting practically in my backyard, at the Naval Reserve Yard on the Neches River.

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

Hoya97 once bubbled...
Hi,
Just thought I would put my two cents in on the debate as to where the USS Oriskany should go.
Considering that the Pensecola location is a 2 hour boat ride and, I believe must be placed deeper than the South Florida location, I opt for the Miami option.
I had the opportunity to discuss the subject at the DEMA show with the Miami representatives. They intend to place it within 1-2 miles of the shore and it will run from South to north - parallel to the shoreline. So they are talking about 30 minutes to an hour boat ride, depending from what marina you leave from.

Lee

Well let's look at it from other points of view. People in the Alabama, Miss., La.,Ga.,Tn., Ky, SC.....Miami is about another 8 hr. drive compared to Pensacola.....I'll deal with a boat ride. Besides I love boat rides in any conditions.

Miami has enough to do and see including the Fla. Keys. My God...Give it to Northern Fla.

 

[OneBrightGator]

There's also the issue of conditions in NFL, conditions in the gulf are downright cr@ppy, it's cold, generally bad viz and dark, plus the "season" for tourists would be very small, not to mention a lack of tourism and diving infrastructure to support a wreck like this in Pensacola. However in Miami, conditions are generally good year round, not to mention fit nicely between WPB and the Keys and Miami obviously has the ability to support a wreck like this, not to mention the size of it makes it much more conducive to drift diving (I personally don't care for the Grove because it's too big to grasp on a dive).

For me, it's about the same driving distance, but Miami gets my vote.

Ben

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

OneBrightGator once bubbled...
There's also the issue of conditions in NFL, conditions in the gulf are downright cr@ppy, it's cold, generally bad viz and dark, plus the "season" for tourists would be very small, not to mention a lack of tourism and diving infrastructure to support a wreck like this in Pensacola. vote.

Ben

I see you live in Gainesville... I'm sure your aware that 9 months a year you can get by with a 3mm or less in Pensacola. It rarely drops to the upper 50's but it can. As far as "cold" well....May through the mid-november or later....It's as warm as anywhere else in Florida.

Viz problems???? What kind of Viz are you looking for? 100+ ft. year round?

Dark???? Again...While I'm only down there 4 times a year....It's always been good to us. I'm sure we can be lucky all 30-35 times down.

Lack of tourism?? First of all this is an artificial reef for the marine life not tourist...And there is more than enough marine life to take refuge in this thing.

And Lack of tourism is EXACTLY why Pensacola should get this over Miami. Miami has no problem with tourism issues. Let's help out some areas that could use the tourism dollar.

This aircraft carrier is 300 ft. longer than The Grove...

 

[NitroxDvrFL]

Yes Miami Has a ton of wrecks i live here so of course i would like to see it here i would also like to see diving grow more outside my local area

Bottom Line

Keep it in Florida Where ever it is I WILL DIVE IT

 

[OneBrightGator]

CincyBengalsFan once bubbled...
I see you live in Gainesville... I'm sure your aware that 9 months a year you can get by with a 3mm or less in Pensacola. It rarely drops to the upper 50's but it can. As far as "cold" well....May through the mid-november or later....It's as warm as anywhere else in Florida.

Well, anything 72 or less and it's a full 7mm for me, so saying you can get by with a 3mm is very subjective. Temps are better any time of the year in SFL than the gulf, period.

Viz problems???? What kind of Viz are you looking for? 100+ ft. year round?
Dark???? Again...While I'm only down there 4 times a year....It's always been good to us. I'm sure we can be lucky all 30-35 times down.

Um... yes. If I'm spending the money and time to go on a dive like this I want the best viz possible. For me, it will cost about the same to get either place, but Pensacola typically has more expensive hotels and the charter will be significantly more expensive because of the distance offshore, all for worse conditions.

Lack of tourism?? First of all this is an artificial reef for the marine life not tourist...And there is more than enough marine life to take refuge in this thing.

I said "lack of tourism infrastructure". Pensacola has less hotels than Miami, and much less dive charters/shops.

Yeah... for the marine life, I bet that's why we're all fighting over it, because of the marine life. Marine life is a secondary concern because it will be beneficial in that respect wherever it goes.

This aircraft carrier is 300 ft. longer than The Grove...

Exactly why I'd rather fly over the flight deck in crystal clear, warm water then stuck in one area in colder water with 30 ft viz.

Ben

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

OneBrightGator once bubbled...


Well, anything 72 or less and it's a full 7mm for me, so saying you can get by with a 3mm is very subjective. Temps are better any time of the year in SFL than the gulf, period.



Um... yes. If I'm spending the money and time to go on a dive like this I want the best viz possible. For me, it will cost about the same to get either place, but Pensacola typically has more expensive hotels and the charter will be significantly more expensive because of the distance offshore, all for worse conditions.



I said "lack of tourism infrastructure". Pensacola has less hotels than Miami, and much less dive charters/shops.

Yeah... for the marine life, I bet that's why we're all fighting over it, because of the marine life. Marine life is a secondary concern because it will be beneficial in that respect wherever it goes.



Exactly why I'd rather fly over the flight deck in crystal clear, warm water then stuck in one area in colder water with 30 ft viz.

Ben

Sorry you've had such bad experiences with the VIZ and water tempertures in the Gulf. Maybe you can meet our group over there next year during one of our trips. We have 50-75 ft. Viz probably 75% of the time and the water temperture is going to be in the 80's come Late April and May...

I don't guess you ever dive the springs since the water temp is usally in the upper 60's.

Let's see....Marine life in the Miami area has many artificial reefs and live reefs...Pensacola....Needs some catching up to do....I'm glad Pensacola is still #1 on the list...For now anyway..

 

[OneBrightGator]

CincyBengalsFan once bubbled...
Sorry you've had such bad experiences with the VIZ and water tempertures in the Gulf. Maybe you can meet our group over there next year during one of our trips. We have 50-75 ft. Viz probably 75% of the time and the water temperture is going to be in the 80's come Late April and May...

I don't guess you ever dive the springs since the water temp is usally in the upper 60's.

Let's see....Marine life in the Miami area has many artificial reefs and live reefs...Pensacola....Needs some catching up to do....I'm glad Pensacola is still #1 on the list...For now anyway..

I will admit I have limited experience with the gulf, but it's not been as positive as I've had in SFL

Umm... I don't dive the springs in a 3mm (anymore) but I dive them as much as possible in my 7mm, and the temps in the springs are 72 year round.

Miami also has the Gulf Stream, the real reason for abundant marine life. The gulf has less water flow, one of the reasons for worse viz.

Ben

 

[NitroxDvrFL]

CincyBengalsFan


Im in if you are going to have some diving in the Panhandle let me know i do not have any time there underwater got to try it at least once